The Adam's apple
Thyroid cartilage · cartilago thyroidea
The shield of cartilage at the front of your voice box that forms the Adam's apple.
What it does
The thyroid cartilage is the largest piece of the voice box. Two plates meet at an angle at the front, shielding the vocal cords inside. The vocal cords attach to the back of that angle, so the size of the cartilage helps set how deep your voice is.
Surprising fact
Everyone has an Adam's apple, but it usually sticks out more in men because the plates meet at a sharper angle after puberty, which also lengthens the vocal cords and deepens the voice.
Why it matters
The bump is a useful landmark. The thyroid gland sits just below it, and in an emergency the soft spot between it and the ring below is where a breathing tube can be placed.
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.